Los Lazos
Los' Lazos' is the first episode of ''Violent Hearts: A Western Epic'' season one. The episode introduced the main cast of the series, as well as set up parts of the season's over-arching plot. Summary Solus IX, 881 AE. A train is heading to Delta Crossing from Goodwill. Several of its passengers, whom have previously never met, interact as they travel further out west. The main protagonists are gradually introduced as everyday life begins to unfold within the passenger cars. Ahazatloc "Adam" Andrews begins to play his guitar, while Henrietta von Rommel reads The Lumenicon. Kinta Gardner hears Adam's melodic guitar and goes to accompany his stringed sound with her drums. Damien Smith reads in his seat next to another passenger. Amaru Dorian enjoys the music that fills the train as he gazes out of of the nearby window. The passenger Damien is sitting near begins a conversation with him, and reveals his name to be Jack Sawyer. The two then discuss family and life. The peaceful day soon comes to an end, however, as desperados force the train to come to a stop. The bandits board the train, and begin forcefully taking anything valuable from the passengers at gunpoint, one car at a time. As the desperados near the group, Damien Smith casts a 'Sleep' spell, which accidentally forces many of the frontward passengers to fall unconscious, as well as one of the weaker desperados. The group individually begin to prepare for action, not yet acting as a coordinated group. The desperados move to the next car. A passenger attempts to fight back, but is shot dead in his seat, prompting Damien Smith to stand up to the desperados up front. After a standoff, Damien casts 'Sleep' again, but its area of effect mostly only affects more passengers. In the same second, the desperado ringleader fires his gun at Damien, nearly killing him. The wounded Damien Smith collapses on the train floor, struggling to remain alive. In response to this, Henrietta casts a 'Protection' barrier, separating the desperados from the passenger car that the group is in. In retaliation, the desperados threaten to execute the passengers they are near if the second magic user does not reveal themselves. Henrietta reveals herself, and she begins to stall by trying to negotiate with the desperados. While speaking, Dorian moves toward Damien and is able to treat his wounds, saving him. When the 'Protection' barrier dissolves, Henrietta and the desperado draw their guns. Two gunshots ring through the train. The desperado falls and Henrietta is unscathed. The death of the ringleader prompts a shootout between the protagonists and the remaining desperados. After several moments of shooting, all of the bandits are eliminated except one, who begs for his life. Being a nun, Henrietta grants him mercy and the last desperado tells the protagonists that the bandits are part of the Von Clyde Gang. He then runs off into the desert. At some point during the shootout, Jack Sawyer vanished from the train. Investigating the outside, it is revealed that the train tracks were blocked by a large metal stagecoach with its wheels removed. The train conductor was also found killed. Without a train to complete their journey into Delta Crossing, the protagonists decide to band together and walk the rest of the way into town, intending on relaying what became of the expected train. Characters Protagonists * Ahazatloc "Adam" Andrews (First appearance) * Amaru Dorian (First appearance) * Kinta Gardner (First appearance) * Henrietta von Rommel (First appearance) * Damien Smith (First appearance) Antagonists * Jack Sawyer (First appearance) * Jimmy von Clyde (Mentioned only) Insert Songs Los''' Lazos '''has two insert songs, both in place of the opening and ending credits. * "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" by Bob Dylan * "The Times They Are A-Changin'" by Bob Dylan Production Notes The episode was largely unplanned, but within the first 10 minutes, Jacob Lee Roberts had planned out most of the over-arching plot of season one, concerning Jack Sawyer and his plot to resurrect his son. Trivia * The episode's title, "Los Lazos", is Spanish for The Ties, referring to the phrase, "the ties that bind". The title is referring to the fact that the main cast was a group of strangers until the train robbery, thereby binding and tying them together. * Jack Sawyer's true motives are foreshadowed in his conversation with Damien Smith. * Jack Sawyer is also set up to be a foil to Damien Smith, and this is supported by the 'coincidence' that Jack's son is also named Damien. Category:Violent Hearts: A Western Epic Category:Season One Category:Episode